The Villager Newspaper Online Your Community News – Cleveland's Westshore
In February, Value World opened its newest thrift store at 24869 Lorain Rd in North Olmsted, Ohio, but things didn’t go as planned. Store Co-Owner Tia Winfield says they hit some roadblocks in the first few months the store was open. “We experienced some unexpected issues with the building, so we’ve been continuously improving over the last six months. We wanted to create a new thrifting environment for our customers so they would have the best possible experience when looking for affordable secondhand items. We are excited to finally have celebrated our Grand Opening Friday, October 13th, at 11 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting celebration with Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones. Customers who shopped with us this Friday will also receive Double Loyalty Points through our free VIP rewards club for cash-back savings.”
When asked about the improvements made to the building, Winfield states, “We basically gave the building a total overhaul from a new roof and air ventilation system to new floors and paved parking lot, the list goes on. We also wanted to make our customers’ time in our stores more enjoyable with better lighting and signage. And we know that our customers want a huge selection of items to choose from at affordable prices. We’ve been working hard to train our staff on pricing items based on fair market value. What’s unique about our stores is that you will find the largest selection of t-shirts, for example, that range in price from $2-$20 based on their quality and brand, so shoppers have many options to choose from.”
The North Olmsted store is the largest thrift store with over 25,000 square feet owned by this 3rd generation family-owned business. Value World has two other locations in the Cleveland area at 11900 Detroit Ave in Lakewood, OH, and 4639 Northfield Rd in North Randall, OH. They also have ten locations throughout metro Detroit.
The thrift superstore carries everything from women’s, men’s, and children’s fashions, shoes, and accessories to housewares, electronics, toys and more. Each week, more than 20,000 items are added to the sales floor to ensure a refreshed assortment of items from which to choose.
Unlike some thrift stores, Value World buys its inventory. They purchase items from many sources, including recycling programs, non-profit organizations, and other retailers. Since being in business, they have helped support non-profits that help veterans, children, and families in need. Their purchases have helped organizations raise more than $50,000,000 in support of their charitable missions. In addition, over the years, they have kept more than 100,000,000 pounds of items from going to landfills.
ABOUT VALUE WORLD
Owned by the same family since 1955, the founder of Value World purchased the first store in Cleveland with the mission to serve his community by offering affordable, gently used items. Today, Value World is majority female-owned, with thirteen thrift store locations throughout Cleveland, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan. Each store offers a huge selection and fair pricing on quality items. Their goals haven’t changed: they are still family-owned and committed to taking care of their communities. More information about Value World can be found at: ValueWorld.com.
